Salt & Tarvideo
Salt & Tar: Ep.323- Attitude of the Upper Gulf
8 January 2026 · 24 min · 45K views · Northern Sea of Cortez, between
What this video covers
Garrett and Ruth aboard Red Aviva transit the upper Gulf of California northbound towards Puerto Peñasco, covering the final 100-plus miles of a passage that ends at a boatyard for a major refit. A heat exchanger hose clamp fails during morning engine checks — caught early because Garrett runs daily checks.0:45 Above latitude 28, the Sea of Cortez narrows and currents turn unpredictable: counter-currents, eddies, and swirling flat spots slow progress and demand constant attention.1:34 They anchor briefly at San Francisco, Baja California, then push 45 miles to Isla Angel de la Guarda, choosing the island's east side to avoid the Baianas Channel's notorious current.2:00 A depth sounder failure, outgoing tide, and no dinghy combine to block entry into a sheltered cove; they abort and anchor in a nearby rocky-bottom alternative.6:27 The anchor drags on the first set — chain fouled the shank after dropping too fast with no wind to keep the bow back — and Garrett resets it before a forecast westerly arrives.18:40 PredictWind calls the wind shift to within minutes.23:20 The planned overnight sail to Puerto Peñasco, roughly 105 nautical miles, requires a 24-hour weather window; the refit will add a pilothouse.12:45 Three simultaneous unknowns — tide state, depth sounder failure, and no dinghy — justify aborting an anchorage entry even in calm conditions.7:53
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